Strength to Change
by Kioa
Summary: Jane and Gunther are sent to the ocean on a quest for Sir Ivon. Upon arriving, they come across someone that will require them to set aside their differences to unite their strength.
1. An Adventure to the Ocean

Hello there! This is a co-written fanfic done by myself, Kioa, and by Sunrise19. Anything original within is property of us.

The beautiful cast of Jane and the Dragon, however, belongs to their creators. We're just like everyone else and borrowing them for a bit…

Chapter 1: An Adventure to the Ocean

Jane gave a sigh, greeting the warm summer morning as she walked through the court yard. Surprisingly, Sir Ivon and Sir Theodore had given her and Gunther the day off from all knightly training. However, while heading towards the kitchen in order to get her breakfast from Pepper, her green eyes picked up movement in the practice yard. Figuring that breakfast could wait for a time, she made her way over towards the yard.

To her chagrin, she saw Gunther sparring with the practice dummy in the enclosure. Leaning against the wall, the sixteen-year-old watched him as he pivoted and hit the dummy as it bounced back. Figuring that exercise would do her some good, even on a day off, she entered the yard and picked up her sword despite a glare from Gunther.

"Do you mind? I am practicing."

"Well then," Jane started as she lunged for him, "practice!"

He blocked her blow as she sidestepped the upcoming swing from Gunther's blade.

"Where is the lizard?" The man inquired as they fought.

"Why do you care?!" Jane shot back as a shadow loomed in the background, signaling that Dragon had indeed arrived.

"Oh look, just in time to save you," Gunther smirked as Jane thrust her sword, jabbing Gunther hard in the ribs.

"Nice one Jane!" Dragon shouted as the red-head teen sent him a glare, to which the man took advantage of, clanging his sword against her own causing it to slip from her hand. Growling to herself, Jane bent to pick it up as Gunther wore a smug look upon his face, "I may have wanted to practice today, however it is you that needs to."

Placing the sword in its proper place, Gunther walked out of the sparring area. Frowning heavily, the squire turned to Dragon.

"What?" the huge reptile asked as he looked at his only friend with a raised eyebrow.

"I was leading that you know," Jane snapped.

"You were? I mean, yes you were."

Placing her own weapon down, Jane leaned against the wall. "So, how about after breakfast we go for a flight?"

"Why not now?"

"I have to eat, Dragon," Jane stated as she headed towards the kitchen.

"Aha, I see how it is. You will spar with that short life but will not fly around with me."

Jane stopped and turned, "he came along first and I was bored."

Dragon smirked and shook his head, "I see…" The beast paused, eyes turned to the sky for a moment before looking back down at Jane, "no, I don't."

Jane rolled her eyes as she quickly walked towards the kitchen, greeting Pepper as the cook handed her the morning's food.

"Good morning Jane," Jester called out as she walked over, sitting down next to her friend and starting to eat.

"Good morning Jester," Jane replied after swallowing. "What are your plans for the day?"

The young man smiled, "the Queen has asked me to compose a song about the princess, for her ninth birthday is coming up."

"Oh, that's great," Jane said after her second bite of food was finished. They chatted about small things, the two laughing and carrying on as Dragon watched over his young friend. Jane had indeed grown over the years. She kept her red hair above her shoulders and she had grown in height; the years of training had sculpted her body very nicely. The squire would often complain to Dragon about the whispers that she would overhear from both sexes, especially from a certain someone, and despite her complaints she still never spoke the word 'charcoal'.

"Squire Gunther, Squire Jane, both come to the practicing area!" Sir Theodore's voice rang out and as Jane stood after saying goodbye to Jester. She could see Gunther move away from the wall that he had been leaning against. Attempts to include him in conversation had been useless over the years, so now no one really bothered. She wondered why he kept to himself, then pushed the thought out of her mind as she swallowed the last bite of her breakfast and left the bowl on the table.

"I wonder what rusty legs wants?" Dragon called as Jane rolled her eyes.

"Dragon please, you know that is my ment-"

"I know, your mentor," Dragon replied as he lifted himself off the wall, landing with a thud on the ground below.

"Sorry short life," Dragon said as dirt flew onto Gunther's shoes. Gunther's reply was only a withering glare. Hurrying over to the practice yard with Gunther just shortly ahead, the two took their places before their mentors. Both looked up expectantly at Sir Theodore and Sir Ivon.

"Yes, sirs?" They said in unison

"As usual, the two of you need to learn how to work together," Sir Theodore began, giving the two a stern look. "I will admit over the years it has improved-"

"As much as Cuthbert's lost weight."

"Dragon!" Jane indignantly shouted to him. The elder knight coughed, giving the dragon a glare. Dragon merely looked to the sky innocently.

"As I was saying," Sir Theodore resumed, "the two of you need to work more on your teamwork. Thus, both of you will spend time traveling to the northern ocean coast, about a day's journey."

As usual, Gunther smiled to him, "what an excellent idea, Sir Theodore! Your wisdom knows no bounds!"

Jane rolled her eyes before looking to the knight, "so this is why you had given us the day off, is it?"

Theodore gave a slow nod, "yes, Jane."

"So to the ocean then? Great, 'cause I've had a _whale _of an appetite for fish. Ah ha ha!" Dragon busted out laughing, holding his great belly with both front claws.

Sir Ivon frowned at the inappropriate behavior of the dragon while Sir Theodore took a few steps towards the large beast.

"Without you, Dragon." The large monster immediately stopped laughing as he put down his two front paws and narrowed his eyes to Sir Theodore.

"Dragon…" Jane groaned, placing a hand to her temple.

"I think that for your benefit, you won't tell me that I can't follow Jane," Dragon growled, bringing his large snout very close to the impassive figure of Sir Theodore.

The knight stood still, hands folded behind his back, "we've had this talk before, Dragon. If you are her friend and if you support her training, then you will leave her alone when her training is involved." The man narrowed his eyes. Dragon snarled, bearing his teeth and a crack remark but Jane immediately came over, placing a hand on her friend's snout.

"Now, now Dragon." She gave him a smile, "it's just to the ocean with dungwad over there. I can take care of myself. Besides, this is for my _training_." She stared into his eyes, pleading. Dragon looked to her before huffing, immediately pulling his head away from her touch.

"You're lucky, rust bucket…" Dragon muttered. Sir Theodore chose to ignore the comment as he looked to Jane and Gunther.

"I want the two of you to go to Pepper. She'll make you sturdy lunches for your journey."

"And what is it that we are to do once we go to the ocean?" Jane inquired. Sir Ivon took a few steps towards them, grinning.

"The two of you need to gather a specific kind of rock. I need it for my newest weaponry," he spoke with his robust accent. "The rock's called Rocklust. It's a light red color and it's round, much like the wheels on that cart." The man pointed to a cart on the wayward side of the courtyard, where Smithy was unloading sheets of metal off of it to probably make new armor out of. Dragon's ears perked up as he realized that Smithy might have a bit of leftover iron that wasn't a horseshoe.

"Ah, well then! Jane, don't get carried away and kill off Gunther without me," he said, starting over to Smithy.

Jane laughed, "I'll be sure to call you!" Gunther glared at the sixteen-year-old, who smiled to him smugly.

Sir Theodore nodded to the two teenagers, also beginning to walk away. "You two collect as much Rocklust as you can. I'll see you when you return." Sir Ivon gave a nod to them as well before following his friend.

"Thank you, Sir Theodore, Sir Ivon!" Gunther called after him while Jane waved to their retreating figures. Gunther's beaming smile turned into a scowl as he glared at Jane.

"Wonderful, a day brimming of adventure with the likes of you."

Jane gave him a look as she headed towards Pepper's kitchen, "and you think I'm looking forward to looking at your greasy hair all day?" Gunther followed her, frowning. Over the years, the eighteen-year-old had let his hair grow. It now hung slightly past his shoulders, always tied up in a loose hold.

Gunther reached back to tighten his hair tie, "is not greasy… At least I wash it."

"Hmph! And I don't?" Jane retorted. Before Gunther could make a snarky reply back, the two had entered the kitchen and Pepper greeted them promptly.

"Hello Jane! Gunther!" She was as peppy as ever as she moved over to them. "So Sir Theodore told me about your journey today!" She had a romantic gleam in her eye as Jane gave a chuckle.

"It's not a journey, it's simply a task for us to accomplish," Jane lamented.

Gunther gave a nod before he spoke, "Sir Theodore told us to come to you for our lunches."

"Oh yes," Pepper smiled as she disappeared in to the kitchen, coming out a moment later with two bundles.

"Thank you Pepper," Jane smiled as she took one of them, "I am sure these will do."

Gunther gave a nod, taking the other. "Yes, thank you. Jane, we should start off now. It will take about a day to reach the seashore." The red-head looked to her fellow squire with a look that clearly read 'Yes, I know'.

"Those also have a breakfast meal in them," Pepper said as Jane thanked her once again before following Gunther, who had already left the kitchen.

"You are supposed to wait for me," Jane called as she easily caught up. Gunther just smirked as they headed towards the stable to get horses for themselves. Upon entering, Jane couldn't help but laugh as she spotted Dragon. Her friend was surrounded by sheets of metal, and dragon had specks of metal pieces on his face.

"You have not left yet?" Smithy quietly questioned to himself, glancing to Dragon as he came out from behind a door.

"I can hear you," Dragon muttered as he looked at Jane, "can I not just take you to the ocean and then fly back?"

Jane gave a soft chuckle, "no Dragon, I should be back some time tomorrow or the next day. Without you, it will take a day to reach the ocean." Deep down, Jane wished Dragon could take her, for on Dragon the trip was only a few minutes.

"That is because I am so awesome," he said as Gunther gave an impatient sigh.

"Smithy, could you please saddle two horses for us?"

"Of course," Smithy said, turning to go to the stables. The two squires knew that Smithy would pick the two best steeds for the long journey and were thankful for his expertise. Dragon went back to eating the sheets of metal that Smithy allotted him.

"I do not think I want to see that," Gunther mumbled, staring at Dragon. Jane shot him a dirty look.

"Better than looking at your hair," she stated as Dragon snorted, causing metal shards to come out of his snout.

"Oww! That's not like when water comes out of your nose."

Jane gave a laugh, "Dragon, you may want to try swallowing before snorting." Another laugh followed as Smithy walked out with the two horses.

"I quite agree with Jane," he said as Jane tied the bundle Pepper had given her to the saddle. She took the reign, giving Smithy a smile.

"Thank you Smithy," she said as she began to get on.

"Need help Jane?" Gunther mockingly questioned, having also tied his bundle to the saddle. "I always do not mind helping a lady- Oh, wait. You are not one." Gunther smirked as he easily swung onto his horse, giving a nod to Smithy before riding out of the stable. Jane looked thoughtfully at Dragon.

"Just say the word Jane," Dragon growled as he glared after Gunther.

The teen gave a sigh, "do not worry Dragon, I am fine."

Dragon gave his friend a semi-serious look. "Are you sure you don't want me to follow you?"

Jane gave a gentle smile as she reached up, patting Dragon's head, "no, it is alright. I will be back before you know it." Getting onto her own horse, Jane sped out of the stable in order to catch up with Gunther. Not much had changed over the years concerning Gunther's constant teasing and belittling of her. After a while, the teenager got tired of his insults. Of course, Jane was well aware that she gave back as much as she took; however, it still bothered her at times.

Regardless, Gunther was a good friend. He was there when needed be, and he provided a strong adversary to practice with. Perhaps if only he was a bit nicer (though the same could be said about her)…

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Gunther gave a sigh as he kept his horse at a fast pace, knowing that Jane would catch up very soon. There was something that annoyed him about the teen, however something inside also found her fascinating and interesting. Although the young man would never admit that to save his life, in a way he admired Jane. She wasn't like most if not all the frilly, materialistic women at court. Instead, her idea of a fun time was riding around on dragon and being with friends. She also gave pretty good insults, another fact he would never admit to.

"Gunther!"

Whipping his head to the right, he saw Jane on her horse beside him.

"What is it?" he demanded, torn from his thoughts.

"You looked dazed," Jane simply said.

"It is called concentration Jane," he replied as he faced forward again, putting on a grumpy look. He hated it when he was interrupted in thinking. His thoughts were one of the few sanctuaries that he had. No one could bother him in them.

But now that Jane had spoken, Gunther couldn't quite return to his sanctuary so easily. The black-haired man glanced at the red-head beside him. She was staring straight forward, seeming to be lost in thought. He frowned at this.

'So she can be lost in thought while I must be driven out of my own? Hardly fair!' The man opened his mouth to interrupt Jane's thoughts, but she suddenly turned her head to him. Startled, Gunther's jaw snapped closed as Jane spoke.

"Gunther, why do you think Sir Theodore did not tell us to bring our swords?"

The man huffed, shaking his head. "I am not sure, but I brought mine anyway. I guess you will have to settle for a stick to defend yourself." He gave Jane a smug smirk. The teen rolled her eyes, pointing to her saddle where her sword was securely strapped.

"No thanks. But if I hear you cry out for help, I will be sure to come to your aid," her smirk was just as smug.

Gunther leaned back in his saddle, giving out a loud sigh, "oh, we have only begun this journey, and already I am tired of you." When Jane didn't reply, the man looked over to her, wondering what was stopping her from making a snide remark. Jane was staring at the back of her horse's head, a frown on her face.

"You know… Sir Theodore only put us two on this journey so as we would work together more," she spoke softly, glancing to Gunther. He felt his heart quicken a bit. She sounded so vulnerable. It was a new side of Jane that he had never seen before. Gunther quickly looked away, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

"I know…" They were the only words that came to his mind.

Jane persisted, "then if you do know, then perhaps you could show a bit of kindness every now and then. All of us at the castle do, and at times you as well…" Gunther gave a small nod as he replied back.

"I'll… try. I-I can't guarantee anything though!" he looked to her, giving her a coy smirk to try to lighten her mood. Seeing her vulnerable was something new and different, but something he wasn't too sure he liked. Jane looked to him, and returned the coy smirk.

"The only guarantee that you can offer is being a royal jerk," she said and Gunther's smirk quickly disappeared.

"What was that?!"

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The cabin was dark, save for the fire burning in the two lanterns. They illuminated a long table, covered with many, many papers. A creaky old bed rested in a corner, an old man laying in it.

"I have heard news, Dehio." The old voice spoke up, crackled like a fire. There was a person sitting at the table, looking at the papers strewn about him. He sighed shortly, a small hint of annoyance in his voice. It was he who had given his grandfather the news in the first place.

He gave a nod to the old man, "yes, Grandfather."

"You must accomplish our plan in order to fulfill my destiny," the speaker was excited, too excited, as he began to cough violently. The person stood up, picking up two papers and comparing them. He emotionlessly tossed one of them onto the ground.

"Yes, Grandfather."

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	2. Getting to Know You

Hey all!!

This is SunRise19 and we're back with chapter 2, so we hope that you'll enjoy it! As always, reviews are greatly appreciated!

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Chapter 2: Getting to Know You

Jane winced, rubbing her lower back. Sitting in the saddle for four straight hours quite did a number on her muscles. Rubbing one of her thighs, she glanced at Gunther. He looked impassive, sitting straight and regal on his steed.

But Jane knew better. A closer look would reveal Gunther's lips set tightly, in a tight grimace. His hand sitting perfectly still on his lap would twitch every now and then. Jane rolled her eyes and looked ahead. That man would be too proud to admit being tired first. The woman looked to the sky, pondering for a moment.

'Perhaps if I were to suggest resting, we both- Oh, this is nonsense,' Jane frowned. They were older now, and should be past these silly prideful games. The red-head sighed and glanced once more to Gunther before speaking.

"I think a rest is in order."

"What is this? Jane tired already?" Gunther teased her, a smirk on his face. But it wasn't his usual one as Jane arched an eyebrow. It seemed to lack the normal disdain that she thought the man held to her. Rather, it looked to be more jovial.

A comment about the smirk was right on her tongue, but she found herself instead saying, "I am simply looking out for your sake. After all, a knight must place himself second to his comrade." She also smirked and briefly wondered if Gunther paid any heed to what it meant…

The man didn't show any reactions as he rolled his eyes. "Ah, yes. Using our knightly code to hide your own fatigue." Jane gave him a look; she didn't want to play this game anymore. Rather, she wanted to see that odd smirk again.

"Believe what you will, Gunther." The female knight looked forward, immediately spotting a tree. She pointed to it. "Look there. A nice spot for our lunch."

"You mean breakfast," the black-haired man looked to her. "Pepper gave us breakfast and a lunch. And I do not know about you, but I had eaten my usual breakfast this morning."

Jane blinked, looking thoughtful. "As did I. I wonder why she then is giving us two breakfasts."

Gunther chuckled a bit, "well, breakfast is the first meal. So of course, it must be the most important…"

"Pepper is so kind, always looking out for us," Jane smiled. She started slightly, realizing that she and _Gunther _just had a civil conversation. There was no joking, jesting, teasing, snarky-remarking, taunting, mocking, ragging, kidding, tormenting, or any hint of insulting in their exchange. Her smiled grew a bit. Perhaps Gunther could be a good, decent friend after all.

And to add to the pleasant surprise, Gunther didn't make a remark. When Jane looked over, she found Gunther giving her a thoughtful look. She cocked her head to the side, her soft smile turning into a grin.

"What is it?"

Gunther blinked and shook his head, seeming to rid himself of any thoughts. The man looked a bit awkward before suddenly taking his reigns and kicking his horse with a shout, "race you to the tree!"

Jane's mouth dropped open and her competitive side immediately took over as she also kicked at her horse. "No fair, you did not give a proper warning!" Despite the outrage, she found herself grinning as her horse was catching up to Gunther's. The race was short, however, as the horse Gunther rode on slowed from a gallop to a trot. The man sat in his saddle underneath the shade of the tree, putting on a smirk.

Unfortunately, it wasn't the smirk from before.

Jane gave an aggravated sigh, feeling cross. "To do a race, one must announce it before starting off."

The man simply shrugged, dismounting his horse.

Shaking her head, Jane slipped off her horse and began to walk it over towards another tree, looping the reigns over a branch before securing it and walking back towards Gunther who had just finished tying his horse.

"Are you not forgetting something?" he questioned, looking over to the bundle that was on Jane's horse that had begun to eat some grass. Feeling stupid, although hiding it, she walked over and retrieved the breakfast that was her lunch.

"You better start looking out for yourself Jane," Gunther said as he moved, carrying his bundle farther in to the trees. "You should realize I will not be around all the time to do that myself."

Jane scoffed at this remark, "when have you ever looked after anyone but yourself?"

"Since I told you that you forgot your bundle," he replied as she watched him sit down a little ways off. Opening her mouth in order to retort to his comment, she closed it, not coming up with anything to say. Instead, she moved closer, sitting a few feet away and facing Gunther as she unwrapped her meal. There was silence as the two began to eat, Jane not realizing how hungry she was.

"I am surprised the lizard has not followed you," Gunther said after a moment, causing Jane to look up from eating.

"Well, Sir Theodore told him not to," she replied, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Still," Gunther retorted, "that Dragon barely listens to you, let alone Sir Theodore."

Jane thought a moment as she chewed a bite of the food, "well, perhaps Dragon is meant to learn something from all this, just as we are supposed to."

Gunther looked thoughtful for a moment, however didn't reply back as the conversation lagged again between them. They both continued to eat the food, one stopping to take a drink of water before resuming to eat again.

It wasn't long before lunch was over, and Jane stretched her arms and legs out in front of her after she finished packing the garbage from the meal back in to the bag. She knew that they had a ways to go yet as her green eyes searched the skies. Her eyes then returned back to the ground, or rather, Gunther. She watched him copy her actions and noticed the way his arms looked as they moved above his head. Blushing and standing up, Jane moved over to her horse, signaling that it was indeed time to start traveling again.

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After a moment, Gunther rose and averted his eyes from Jane as he retrieved his horse and swung up on to the saddle. Glancing over at Jane, he noted how she waited for him instead of speeding off. Kicking his horse in order to start it moving at a walk, he began to lead them out of the grove of trees; Jane closely following before matching his pace and riding beside him.

"At least the weather is not extremely hot," the teen female said after a moment as Gunther looked at her from the corner of his eye.

Biting back his sarcastic comment, he replied, "yes, and as we near the ocean the breeze will pick up." Gunther knew that the comment about the weather was her way of starting a conversation. He decided to give her a break, and not criticize the feeble attempt of talking.

But he did appreciate it.

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It was many hours later, and Jane could barely sit upright in the saddle. Judging by the sky, it was nearing evening and the two of them could see the ocean in the distance. The sight made Jane straighten herself and speed up her horse. She patted its neck as she rode the steed. She tried not to show her tiredness to Gunther, although she did admit that the off and on talking they did was civil; though short and about meaningless matters.

The coming darkness did present a problem, however. Without decent light, or knowledge about the whereabouts of the Rocklust, the two would never be able to find it. Jane looked to Gunther, and wondered if he also was thinking along those lines.

"Gunther," she started. He glanced to her, showing he heard. "It will be dark soon. Perhaps the two of us should find shelter and sleep for the night before resuming our search in the morning."

The man gave a nod as the two finally emerged onto the tree-less plain of the ocean front. Ankle-high grass stretched to the right and left for miles, unburdened by trees. A constant wind made it seem that the blades were dancing. Even though the plain was tree-less, there was a small town sitting on the edge of the plain. The fire lit from the houses cast a warm glow to everything around it.

Jane smiled, inhaling the salty air as she listened to the crashing waves. However, they didn't sound close at all; rather, the beautiful noise came from a distance. Jane allowed her steed to take the lead on Gunther and walk towards the noise. The horse fidgeted slightly and immediately came to a stop as it neared the edge of the plain. Biting her lip, Jane leaned over her saddle slightly, looking to see an almost vertical drop to the ocean front, where raging waves crashed over jagged rocks. The wind howled, screaming almost.

The sound didn't seem as beautiful now.

"Gunther…" she trailed off, brows drawn together in concerned curiosity.

"What, Jane?" Gunther rode over and mimicked Jane, arching a brow as he saw how steep the cliff was. He looked to the red-head, who returned his perplexed stare.

"You do not think…" she started as Gunther slowly shook his head.

"That the Rocklust would be along those rocks…" he finished, glancing down again. The drop down seemed to stretch a good while. Jane briefly closed her eyes, holding up a hand with a short sigh.

"Sir Theodore and Sir Ivon surely would not have sent us on a mission for a bunch of rocks in a very, _very _dangerous place." The woman shook her head as if to reassure herself. Gunther gave a nod, starting his horse off on a walk towards the town.

"Of course not. After all, they care more about our safety as opposed to this Rocklust." Jane's horse was beside him as the two looked at the town. Jane turned to Gunther, smiling hopefully.

"We will rest for tonight, and then go out in search for the Rocklust tomorrow."

The young man nodded in agreement as they kept their horses at a walk, using the left over light from the sun to guide them. Since they didn't know the town that well, neither one wanted to go speeding through it. Jane carefully gazed around her, not seeing many buildings near them aside from the town ahead.

"Do you have coins for the inn?"

The sudden question from Gunther made her snap her head towards him as she answered, "Yes, I made sure to bring some along."

"Good," he replied as they continued on. The grass plain seemed to stretch on forever. As they rode on the wind began to pick up and they could see storm clouds in the distance.

"That is interesting how the weather can change like that," Jane commented as she looked at the sky, "It is fine one moment and then the next…"

Gunther held up a hand in order to cut her off as he pointed ahead, "let us speed up so if it begins to rain, we will not be caught in it. It is only a few yards away, anyway."

The female beside him who was going to interrupt him for interrupting her, closed her mouth and looked to where Gunther was pointing. The woman was surprised that she hadn't seen how close the town was herself as she arched an eyebrow and sped up her horse so she could catch up with Gunther.

The sound of thunder rolled across the sky just as the two entered the town. It was a normal small settlement; several buildings had signs posted before them, marking them as shops. The only difference this town had than others were smaller windows. To prevent the rough winds from entering the buildings, Jane guessed.

"Jane, do you see an inn?" Gunther inquired, looking about the town. No one was outside, save for one or two people. The thunder lowly rumbled again as Jane looked to a younger looking man. He wore brown slacks and a white top. His coarse brown hair hung just above his eyes.

"Excuse me, but is there an inn in this small town, sir?" She smiled to him.

The man looked up, his blue eyes visible to Jane as he gave a small smile in return, "no, my lady. No inn here. But I offer shelter for those who are looking."

Gunther opened his mouth, but Jane spoke first. "Brilliant. Would you mind if the two of us stayed?"

The young man nodded, "of course. Please, follow me." Just as he finished his sentence, lightning struck and rain suddenly broke free from the sky. Gunther muttered a word but Jane ignored it. The young man motioned with his hand as he jogged over to a house near the edge of the town. Leaning up against his house was a small stable that looked to be poorly made with the wood looking as if it had been used for something else. Jane and Gunther eyed it slightly, but the rain did not allot them to make a comment. Instead, they dismounted their horses and lead them into the dry area.

The young man stood near the entrance, an apologetic look on his face. "You will have to forgive the mess. I am in the process of building a stable when I get a horse of my own."

Jane smiled to him, shaking her head. "No, it is alright. We are grateful that you will take us in."

"Even though 'we' did not make the decision," Gunther spoke up lowly beside her, removing his sword from the horse's saddle. Jane looked to him, frowning.

"Gunther!" she admonished. "He had offered us a room to stay, since there is no inn here. You should be thankful." She likewise grabbed her sword, securing it to her waist.

Gunther glared at her, turning to the young man. "We thank you for allowing us to stay," he said, as if satisfying Jane. Jane, who _was_ satisfied, turned and smiled too. The young man nodded.

"You are very welcome… uhm…" he looked between the two of them. Jane briefly closed her eyes, pointing to herself.

"Oh. Sorry. My name is Jane, and my companion is Gunther." Jane waved a hand to Gunther, who nodded his head in greeting.

"I am Dehio," the young man nodded his head in return. "Please, this way." He walked back into the rain as Gunther nudged Jane.

"You should have asked someone else if there is an inn. We do not know if we can trust this man."

Jane rolled her eyes as she began to follow Dehio. "Gunther, even if he cannot be trusted, there are two of us and one of him. Besides, would you _like _to be still in this rain?" She held up her hand as the two entered the downpour. Gunther frowned, shaking his head in resignation.

"I would still be wary," he muttered. Dehio stood before the doorway, holding it open for them. Jane smiled to him as she entered, Gunther close behind. The young squire looked around the room. There were two beds, side by side, in one corner while a large table with a few chairs sat in the middle. Papers were strewn all across it while a fire crackled warmly on the adjacent wall. The corners were mostly dark due to the ill light.

As Dehio shut the door behind himself, Jane smiled to him, "you have a very, ah, humble home, Dehio." The man, who didn't look to be much older than Gunther, gave her a shy smile.

"Well, I have the largest house in Rocklust, so I decided to be generous to any weary travelers… We do not often get many out here, of course…" he looked to the ground and walked over to the fireplace, where a small iron pot hung from a wire. Both Jane and Gunther stared at him.

"Did you say Rocklust?" Gunther spoke after a moment, stepping into the one-room house fully. Dehio nodded, taking a wooden spoon off of the mantle and stirring what was assumed to be their dinner.

"Yes. We are named Rocklust after the rock that resides along the cliffs here," he took a rag off of the mantle and picked up the pot. "If you two would not mind, would you care for some soup?"

Jane nodded as she walked over, her hands holding onto one of the backs of the chairs. "Dehio. Did you say the rock residing _along _the cliffs?" Her stomach folded in half. With all of this rain, and especially with how steep that cliff was, this journey looked to be slightly more dangerous than the simple 'go forth and retrieve rocks' task the knights had told them. The young man nodded as he moved a few of the papers, setting the pot down. Gunther leaned over, looking at it, along with Jane. It seemed normal enough.

"I am sorry about this mess. As I had said, we do not get many visitors…" he began to collect the papers. Gunther picked one up, inspecting it. Jane watched him, wondering why his eyes looked so curious.

"What is this?" he questioned, his nose wrinkled. Jane frowned, but sighed. Gunther and his manners… She looked at the parchment too, eyes widening a bit. It was white, with small black marks strewn all about it. Thin black lines connected a few of them, while writing in an unknown language was all over the page.

Dehio looked up, then smiled sheepishly as he continued to pile up the papers, "it is but a foolish hobby of mine…"

Jane pointed to one of the cluster of dots, "I see this in the southern sky at night… Are these stars, Dehio?" The man nodded as he picked the pile of papers up and took it over to another table that had hid in a corner.

"Yes. I study them from time to time… Although it is not my main desire in life."

Gunther spoke up, surprisingly, "and what is that?" Jane was amazed that he showed interest as she studied him for a moment. Perhaps there was more to Gunther than what Jane had thought…

"To be a knight, like my grandfather…" Dehio's smile was a bit sad as he walked over, now with three bowls in hand. Jane cocked her head to the side.

"That is nothing to be sad over, Dehio. To aspire to be a knight is a noble dream."

Dehio nodded, spooning some soup into a bowl, "yes, I know. I am just sad because my grandfather passed recently."

Jane's eyes lowered, saying softly, "I see." Gunther didn't say anything, instead placing the paper he was holding down to accept the bowl of soup from the brown-haired man. Jane likewise accepted her bowl, an awkward moment of silence hung in the air.

Dehio offered the two a smile, "so why are two knights in Rocklust?"

"We were sent here to gather as much of the rocklust as possible for one of our mentors," Jane explained as she held her bowl of soup, the steam hitting her face.

"I see," Dehio replied as he pulled out one of the chairs sitting down in it. "If I may assume, you train at Kippernia Castle?"

"Yes," Gunther answered as he too pulled out the other chair and sat down placing the bowl upon the table.

Jane was the last to sit, also setting the dish on the table as the steam began to lessen. Silence fell between them as Dehio picked up his bowl, taking a drink from it before setting it down again. After seeing Dehio eat first, Jane and Gunther both felt more comfortable in starting to eat as well.

"You mentioned that your grandfather was a knight," Gunther began after swallowing the food. "Did he train you at all?"

Dehio nodded, "yes, but only a little bit. For you see, he was very sick."

"I understand," Jane replied as she tucked a piece of red hair behind an ear.

"If I may inquire of you Jane, how a woman became a knight? I am sure my grandfather would have been very surprised to see that indeed."

Jane gave a slight smile, "I am fortunate to be living in a kingdom that gives me such respect and the chance to fulfill my dream of becoming a knight."

"How did you get that chance?" Dehio inquired. He listened attentively as Jane started to tell about how a dragon had kidnapped the prince from the castle, and instead of slaying him she had befriended the beast who let the young boy go. When Jane was finished, Dehio leaned forward and smiled at the young woman across from him, "that is amazing Jane, to be so young and brave to do a deed such as that."

"Thank you Dehio," she replied as he seemed to enjoy her story in her eyes. Turning her head, she met Gunther's gaze as he looked not at Dehio but at Jane with a look of wonderment on his face.

She was about to inquire as to the look before Gunther spoke, "I am surprised you have never heard that story."

"Well," the man paused for a moment, "I may have some time back. However, I may simply not remember hearing it."

Silence once again fell between them as the three still continued to eat. It was broken a few minutes later as Dehio asked, "would you mind if I assisted you two in collecting the rocklust?"

"Oh," Jane began, "we do not want you to go through any kind of trouble for us. I believe we'll be…"

"My apologies," Dehio quickly stated, "I only inquired because of this down pour of rain and how steep the cliff side is… I know trails along the cliff that you can use."

Jane smiled, "no apologies are necessary." Jane's smile grew, "I would not mind the help if it does not trouble you to give it."

"I am sure Jane and I will be fine on our own," Gunther spoke as he finished the last bite of the food and placed the bowl down on the table. Jane shot him a look before turning back to Dehio.

"Well, I guarantee that it is no trouble at all. To help two knights of the king's guard would be an honor for me."

"Actually," Jane was quick to correct him, "we are just squires at the moment."

Dehio gave a grin as he replied, "it does not matter, for one day you both will be knights. I would still be honored to assist you in your quest."

"Thank you," Jane said as she finished the meal, placing it on the surface in front of her.

"You are very welcome, Jane." Dehio stood, taking his bowl as well as hers. Gunther handed Dehio his empty bowl. The man turned and went back to the corner of the room as Gunther leaned towards Jane.

"Yet again, you made a decision for the two of us," he whispered. Jane gave a short sigh as she rolled her eyes.

"Gunther, he is a nice fellow. Perhaps you can learn from his manners," she replied smartly, smirking. Before Gunther could retort, Dehio returned to the table.

"I am sure the two of you are quite tired. You can use those beds," he motioned to the two beds in the corner. Jane and Gunther looked to the beds, then looked to each other. Both wore expressions that were anything but ecstatic.

"Those beds are… rather close, are they not?" Gunther spoke. Jane, who slightly agreed, gave him another look.

"If it offends you so, we can move the beds," she said. Gunther snorted.

"I was only thinking of your privacy."

Jane stood, scoffing, "Gunther, the two of us will be knights one day. Of equal stature. It should not matter how close we will sleep together. I mean, next to each other." Her cheeks reddened a bit as Gunther gave her an odd look.

Dehio thankfully spoke up, "please have a good rest." He blew out the lantern, leaving only the dim light from the dying fire place lighting the room. The man walked towards the entrance of the house as Jane looked to him.

"Where will you sleep, Dehio?"

He turned to smile to her, "in the other room connected to this house. Please sleep well, Jane. Gunther." With that, he opened the door to the torrential winds and rain and exited. After the door closed, Jane looked to Gunther.

"We best get a good sleep now," she sighed, heading towards the beds. She stared down at it, then looked to Gunther. He was still sitting. She watched him for a moment, remembering how he was during the day. At times, it seemed that Gunther was not himself. That he was someone different, someone who was more kind and gentle. Jane smiled, remembering the non-threatening smirk that Gunther had presented to her. Untying her sword from her waist, she leaned it on the wall beside the bed before she climbed into the bed, pulling the covers over her.

She looked to him, seeing that he was still sitting. He was looking at her, an unreadable expression on his face. Remembering the smirk, she gave him a gentle smile as she patted the bed beside her. "Gunther, come on. We will not be able to find any rocklust if we are half asleep."

The man nodded as he stood up and walked over, leaning his sword against the wall as well. He got into the bed, lying on top of the covers. He didn't look at Jane, mumbling, "good night."

Jane smiled as she mocked him, mumbling back, "good night." She still smirked, thinking about the day and the way Gunther acted. It didn't even cross her mind once that as she fell asleep, Gunther was the only thing she was thinking about.

---------------------------

Kioa here! We hope you enjoy! Just remember, for the love of fanfiction and for imagination itself, you will have to suspend a bit of belief. Otherwise, you can't have fun!


	3. I Loathe the Acceptance

A/N:

'Sup guys? So, uh, great new year so far, amirite?! Sorry 'bout the long wait. We can't make any promises, but we CAN promise that we'll work hard to ensure that chapter four will be on its way quickly. Enjoy!

--..--..--..--..--..

Chapter 3: I loathe the acceptance…

It was late in the evening when Gunther finally felt his eyes close but it wasn't for long. For hours since Jane fell asleep, Gunther kept jolting himself awake every few minutes, his eyes searching the darkness for anything out of place. Something was nagging at his instincts about Dehio, although the lad couldn't put his finger as to the reason why. He did not feel sick after eating the soup, so he couldn't figure out as to why the bad feelings.

His eyes turned to Jane, watching her sleep for a moment. Her red hair was spread out on the pillow, her emerald eyes closed to the world. Her breathing was slow and deep, and Gunther noticed that she seldom moved in her sleep. An arm might move from where it had been resting on her chest or she may shift, however that was all. Gunther tried to convince himself that the only reason he was watching her was to make sure she didn't become ill, but he was having a hard time doing so. Gritting his teeth, he flipped over onto his side so that his back was facing Jane and closed his eyes.

--

It was amazing how bright the morning sunlight was, given how small the windows were at the front of the cabin. Jane opened her eyes, and then groaned as she shut them against the offending sunlight. She moved closer towards something, a warmth she felt even through her blanket. The teen tried to move one of her hands to rub at her eyes, however noticed she didn't have much room for movement. Forcing her eyes to open once more, Jane looked down then quickly looked away and blushed.

Gunther lay with half of his arm on her shoulder. The two were lying face to face. Jane startled slightly as he shifted closer, his arm inching towards her neck. Jane pushed the covers off of her, slowly rolling away from Gunther. Climbing out of the bed, she reached for her sword and silently strapped it to her waist. Walking over towards Gunther's side of the bed, she tapped the hilt of her sword before clearing her throat.

"Gunther, it's morning," Jane simply said as she backed away from the bed. Gunther quickly sat up, blinked a few times before hurriedly standing.

"Tired from yesterday's journey?" Jane inquired as she looked at him, "I do not blame you, of course." She usually wasn't this snarky in the morning, but having Gunther so close to her had unsettled her only slightly.

Gunther glared at her as he walked past the teen. Jane turned her head to glance after him. After he left the cabin, Jane allowed herself a good stretch before the door opened once again.

"Ah, good morning Jane," Dehio said as he gave the female squire a smile. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you," Jane replied as she turned to face him. "How did you sleep?"

"Very well," the young man replied as Gunther came back in to the house. "Good morning Gunther, did you sleep well?"

The squire nodded, "yes, Jane I think we need to start gathering the Rocklust now."

"Are you sure you do not wish to eat? The sun has not been up for that long." Dehio motioned to the windows as if to illustrate his point. Jane thought briefly about the meal that Pepper had cooked for them. It was difficult to say which would be ruder; to pass up Dehio's free meal or to neglect Pepper's. Gunther spoke up before she could make a decision.

"Our cook back at the castle made us a meal," he said, then quickly added. "Thank you though." Dehio simply smiled.

"It is quite alright. I understand. Then, after breakfast I will show you the trails to the Rocklust," Dehio moved to the table that no longer had the shadows to hide in. Jane watched as Gunther's eyes followed his movement. Rolling her eyes, she walked over and grabbed his arm.

"We'll be right back, Dehio," she called out to him, opening the door and dragging Gunther along with her. Once the door shut, she began to angrily stride over to the horses.

"Gunther, at times you can be quite irritating," she lamented as she opened her satchel for Pepper's meal. Gunther didn't respond, simply walking to his horse to get his meal. "Honestly! Dehio is the grandson of a knight who was so kind as to provide us with food and a bed." Jane got out the meal, looking around the stable for a place to sit. Her brows drew together as she noticed some hay beside the water trough; it looked rested upon, as if someone had slept there.

"I think it strange that he is so willing to help," Gunther spoke up beside her. Jane looked to him, waving a hand to the place where Dehio had obviously slept.

"Oh yes. Let us mistrust the poor fellow who spent the stormy night sleeping with the horses." She shook her head as she spotted a bench and sat down on it. Gunther simply took the seat beside her. Jane stared at him a moment, wondering why he wasn't defending himself.

'That Gunther…' she thought as she opened the package and began to eat. 'I cannot see how his thinking can be so complicated when he has such a simple brain.'

--

After breakfast, Jane and Gunther joined Dehio inside of his cabin. The teenager greeted them with a warm smile.

"Are you two ready?" Dehio asked them. He was dressed in simple pants and a tunic, but had a belt with a few pouches attached to it. Jane and Gunther, both on the ready with their swords, nodded.

"Of course, lead the way Dehio," Jane smiled while Gunther simply nodded. Dehio led them out of his house, heading towards the cliff. The large house was not that far from the cliff's edge, leaving the three still within sight of it.

The storm that had passed by with barely a lightning flash left the sky looking bright despite the heavy overcast. A fierce wind blew as Dehio paused near the cliff's edge.

"We will have to be careful because of the storm last night. The ledges will be slippery," he warned as he pulled a piece of rope from one of the pouches. "Let us use this to attach ourselves to each other."

"So if someone falls off the cliff we all fall off?" Gunther said in massive disproval. Jane elbowed him.

"If someone falls off, the combined weight of those standing will prevent him from plummeting to his death in the jagged rocks below," she said sternly, then added under her breath, "dunderhead." Gunther's indignant stare was a tell-tale sign that he heard.

Dehio seemed to pay the two no mind as he brought them to the beginning of a narrow-looking trail along the cliff side. He pointed forward, then looked back at the two.

"There's a small alcove a few meters down, where the Rocklust is. How much do you need?" he inquired.

Jane blinked and looked at Gunther. The teenager shrugged back.

"As much as we could he had said," he remembered aloud as Jane sighed. Dehio tied them all together.

"Very well," she agreed as the threesome began to make their descent. Dehio led the two followed by Jane and then Gunther bringing up the rear. The wind bit at their backs and howled around them. Cold tendrils of water whipped at their faces as the ocean crashed against the shore below. The three managed to make it to the safety of the niche, which wasn't as deep as a cave but far enough into the cliff to provide shelter against the unforgiving elements.

Jane sighed in relief as she placed her hands onto her hips. "That was an interesting stroll." Gunther only shook his head while Dehio smiled to the two of them.

"Here is the Rocklust," he said, motioning towards the walls of the alcove. "They're usually embedded into the walls, but over the years erosion has freed quite a few of them." Jane and Gunther were relieved to hear that there would be no digging as Jane smiled gratefully to Dehio.

"Thank you very much Dehio, we would never have found this place without your assistance."

Dehio nodded to her as he moved towards the back of the niche. Jane and Gunther had to follow because of the rope tying them together. Indeed, all around the floor were small, round light-red rock pieces. Gunther bent over and picked up a few.

"So how shall we carry these up?" he asked to Jane. Neither had brought a sack. Jane inwardly grimaced at her and Gunther's negligence.

Dehio spoke up as he pointed to the pouches on his belt, "I've brought a few pouches for you guys if that'll be of any help."

Gunther frowned at this but expressed his gratitude as Jane sheepishly smiled to him.

"Thank you. We seemed to have come ill prepared," she said. Dehio just shook his head.

"It's fine," he said as he took off two of his pouches, handing one to Jane and the other to Gunther. The teenagers untied themselves so that collecting the Rocklust would be easier. Jane wandered closer to the edge of the alcove, picking up several pieces. As she turned back to join her comrades, her foot slipped on the mud and she momentarily lost her balance.

Quickly regaining her footing, she sighed in relief as she peered over her shoulder at the sheer drop.

'Whew', she thought, 'I was almost a goner.' She walked back over to Dehio and Gunther, holding up her full bag.

"Well I am done," she said. Dehio and Gunther nodded, also having full bags. Dehio reattached the bags to his belt as well as retying the three together.

"That wasn't so hard," Gunther said with a relieved sigh.

Jane snickered, "now we just have the dangerous trek back up the slippery slope of mud and loose rock." Gunther leveled her with a smirk.

"Are you afraid of danger?" he asked coyly.

"No," she said, floundering for a defensive retort, "just… do not wish to slip." She arched her eyebrows with a smile as Dehio began to ascend the trail. The walk up took a lot longer than their time down, as Jane and Gunther both almost slipped off of the path more than once. Dehio seemed to have sturdier footing because of his experience.

Eventually they crested the top of the cliff, shoes covered in mud. But at least they had their Rocklust. Dehio grinned to them, about to say something when frantic horse neighs reached the three. All of them looked over, seeing two men trying to steal Gunther's and Jane's steeds.

"The horses!" Jane exclaimed as she frantically worked at the knot that kept her and the two male teenagers together. Dehio's hands worked fast, quickly undoing the knot connecting him to Gunther and Jane. Before the two squires could say anything, Dehio bolted towards the direction of the thieving.

"Dehio!" she exclaimed, surprised. Still working at the knot connecting them, the two tried their best to head after him at full speed.

"Jane!" Gunther shouted in exasperation as he quickly took out a knife. He glanced up at the scene, about to cut the rope, when he paused at what he was witnessing.

Dehio swiftly kicked at the legs of one of the thieves, sending the man onto his back. Before the partner in crime could react, Dehio's fist connected with the man's stomach, then his face. The man stumbled back, gripping his gut as he glared at the teenager. Dehio turned to the other man who was slowly starting to stand. He pulled back his fists, ready to throw another round of punches. With an exclamation, both men quickly bolted and were out of sight.

Gunther finally cut the ropes as Jane rushed over to Dehio.

"We should pursue them!" she exclaimed. Dehio gave her a sad smile.

"Even if we did, nothing would come of it. Rocklust is so small there are not any knights that bother to serve it." He sighed as he rubbed at his arm. "I very much wish that my grandfather were still alive. Then perhaps my training would have been completed and I could be the knight to watch over this small town. But all I can do as I am now is just fend off the attacks of petty thieves."

Jane sighed, looking over at Gunther. Gunther frowned at her.

"You know that we do not choose who can become a squire and who cannot."

"Perhaps, but we could present him to Sir Theodore and then he can make the decision." Jane looked at Dehio, then smiled as she turned to Gunther with determination in her eyes. "I think he will agree. After all, Dehio aided us and managed to fight off two men with no weapon. His sense of honor is just as strong as ours, Gunther. He wishes to defend this town. It is not right of us to deprive him of a chance to accomplish his dream." Her eyes bore into his as though daring him to argue back.

Dehio smiled to Gunther as he said, "I do wish to become a knight. It is my greatest dream."

Gunther gritted his teeth together as he bit out, "it still is not our decision."

Jane turned to Dehio, seeming to disregard Gunther. "We cannot promise you your dream, but we can take you to our mentors. They will judge you. I know that they will listen to what you have to say."

"The King is the one that makes the final decision," Gunther spoke up. He seemed pretty against the idea of Dehio coming to the castle, though wasn't too sure as to why. It was just something in Dehio that he did not like.

"King Caradoc is a fair ruler," Jane pointed out. "He will hear Dehio's story and make the proper decision."

Gunther sighed heavily, holding up his hands. "Very well. It is getting late anyway. We better head out unless we want to stay another night here." Dehio smiled to the two widely.

"Thank you two very much, I really appreciate this. Finally, my dream will be realized. My grandfather also appreciates it."

Jane smiled to him, saying, "I am glad that we met. With just Gunther around, it'll be refreshing to finally have someone else to spar with." She paused a moment, then found herself adding with a laugh, "someone who has skill."

Gunther glared at her as if to say 'what do you think you're saying?' and Jane caught herself. The joke was a bit too familiar to use with someone who they had just met. But Jane felt that she had known Dehio for a long time. He was easy to talk to and seemed to not mind her and Gunther's banter.

"I'll be right back," Dehio said with a short wave as he quickly went into his home to gather his things. Gunther and Jane headed over to their horses, patting them. The two were thankful to still have their steeds. Any moment later and they would've been stranded at Rocklust.

"And where is his horse?" Gunther asked. Jane looked around then remembered.

"Oh, he did mention that he had yet to get one…" she said.

Gunther smirked, "then he will simply walk."

Jane gave him a look, "he will ride with me then, as walking will slow us down." She mounted her horse, guiding it over to the front of the house. Gunther soon followed just as Dehio exited the front door. The teenager had a sword at his belt and a small satchel around his shoulder.

"I am ready, Jane and Gunther," he smiled to them. Jane grinned down at him.

"Brilliant. Hop on then and hold on tight," she said, motioning him over to her horse. Dehio did as told, wrapping his arms around her waist. Jane tensed a little bit, feeling her cheeks flush.

"Oh, you do not have to hold on quite that tight," she commented. Dehio apologized as he placed his hands on either side of her. Jane glanced over at Gunther, who was glaring openly at the two. The red-head looked up at the sky, wondering what in the world Gunther held against Dehio. The thought of jealousy briefly flittered across her mind but she quickly dismissed it. Gunther had pretty much shown almost no interest in her whatsoever.

Though there were a few times that would suggest otherwise…

Shaking her head, she looked back at the road they would take. Inhaling the ocean air, she smiled to Gunther and to Dehio behind her.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Yes," Dehio spoke up. Gunther simply kicked his heels into his horse and took off at a gallop. Jane grumbled as she pressed her heels into her horse as well, heading after the teenager.

Jane didn't notice as Dehio wrapped his arms around her waist to keep from falling off. Dehio looked behind himself at his old home, blue eyes training on a silhouette standing beside the makeshift stable.

--


End file.
